18 Smartest-Ever Time-Savers
Beyond busy? 18 ways to beat the clock.
By Sharon Franke
1. If you're always searching for a pen, stock one in every pocketbook, and put one in your checkbook.
2. Store buttons in clear pill dispensers so you can easily spot the one you need.
3. Schedule your next haircut before you leave the salon.
4. Keep scissors in every room - that way, you won't waste time trying to find them if you have to open a package, cut a tag, or quickly wrap a gift.
5. Buy stamps, print labels, and arrange package pickups at usps.com.
6. When you find a useful number in the phone book, highlight it so it'll pop out the next time.
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7. Skip the photo store. Order prints from an online service such as snapfish.com, the top scorer in GH Research Institute tests.
8. Reserve books online instead of driving over to the library to do it in person. (You can renew books online too.)
9. Stash lint rollers in lots of places (the laundry room, closets, your car's glove compartment) so you'll be able to zap fuzz and pet hair in seconds.
10. Keep note cards, envelopes, and stamps in a zip-top plastic bag in your purse so you can dash off a thank-you note while you're standing in line or waiting in the school parking lot.
11. Store your receipts in a designated pocket of your purse or wallet. You'll have the one you need at your fingertips if you decide to make a return.
12. Use a Web grocer like Peapod. Once you set up an account and a shopping list of the items you buy often, placing an order takes only minutes.
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13. Before you leave home for a scheduled flight, print out your boarding passes from your airline's Website.
14. Avoid movie lines. Buy tickets ahead of time from a service such as Fandango or Moviefone.
15. Do all your banking online. (It's safe, really.)
16. Wear a cordless headset when you're on the phone so you can multitask.
17. During TV commercials, don't just nosh, pay your bills (that is, if you don't already pay them online).
18. Store your ATM card in a brightly colored case so it'll be easy to spot in your tote bag.
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